VCE Physics 2009-2012– What’s new?Presentation at the 2008 STAV/AIP Physics Conference

Maria James, VCAA15 February 2008

© Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2007

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Presentation outline

1. National Curriculum Update• learning outcomes • assessment

2. VCE Physics Review• statistics• monitoring phase (2006)• minor review phase (2007)• implentation workshops (2008)

3. Assessment 2008

VCE Unit 2 Science enrolments

Total enrolments in Unit 2 VCE Sciences

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VCE Unit 4 Science enrolments

Total enrolments in Unit 4 VCE Sciences

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VCE Unit 2 Physics enrolments

VCE Unit 2 Physics enrolments 1995-2007

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VCE Unit 4 Physics enrolments

VCE Unit 4 Physics enrolments 1995-2007

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Enrolment decreases within student year levels

Differential in student numbers between Units 1&2, and Units 3&4 VCE Physics

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Unit 1 to Unit 2

Unit 3 to Unit 4

Enrolment decreases between student year levels

Differential in student numbers between Units 1&4, and Units 2&3 VCE Physics

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Unit 2 to Unit 3

Unit 1 to Unit 4

Tertiary pre-requisites

Do tertiary pre-requisites impact on student VCE study selection?

• 13.8 % of Science-requiring tertiary courses have Chemistry as a prerequisite

• 3.9% of Science-requiring tertiary courses have Physics as a prerequisite

• 0.6% of Science-requiring tertiary courses have Biology as a prerequisite

• 21.6% of Science-requiring tertiary courses have Mathematics Methods (either) as a prerequisite

Monitoring the 2004-2008 VCE Physics study design

In 2006, a number of activities were undertaken as part of regular VCAA monitoring processes of VCE studies:

- analysis of enrolment data for VCE Physics- running of educator focus groups (metropolitan and rural) re VCE Physics- on-line survey re VCE Physics- consideration of national and international research re science education

Two major practical concerns arose for teachers of VCE Physics which the VCAA Board wanted to address:

- high teacher workloads, particularly in Units 2 and 3- lack of clarity of the dot points in the study design

The VCAA Board determined that a minor review of Physics would proceed in 2007.

Minor review of VCE Physics

In 2007, a minor review of Physics commenced:• Review panel and writer established after on-line applications were received• Nature of the minor review was established: - had to address concerns of teacher workload/lack of clarity of study design - one-year implementation (ie all Units 1-4 to begin in 2009) - existing units were to be retained - the order of Units 3 and 4 were to be unchanged - no new concepts to be introduced, unless contribute to clarification of

existing dot points• Review panel prepared a consultation draft• Feedback sought through on-line surveys and hard copy responses• Review panel prepared final draft following consideration of feedback• Published study design, including ‘Advice to teachers’, mailed to schools in

February 2008 (Assessment handbook available mid-2008)

Units 1-4 Key skills

A set of key skills applicable to each unit has been developed and placed at the start of the study design on page 12. These skills are integral to each area of study and must be assessed.

Key skills are listed under three headings:- Investigate and inquire scientifically- Analyse and apply physics understanding- Communicate physics information and

understanding

Verbs used in the study design

The following ‘cognitive triangle’ lists the cognitive processes required for the purposes of the study design. Definitions of these terms are provided in the ‘Advice for teachers’.

Design

EvaluateAnalyse Explain Investigate

Apply Calculate Model SelectCompare Convert Interpret

Describe Identify

Note: higher order cognitive processes in the above pyramid include capacities of those cognitive processes which appear below them

Structure of Units 1 and 2

Unit 1 Unit 2

Area of study 1 Nuclear physics and radioactivity

Motion

Area of study 2 Electricity Wave-like properties of light

Detailed studyNote: Detailed study selected in Unit 1 must be different from that selected in Unit 2

Choice of:•Astronomy •Astrophysics •Energy from the nucleus

•Investigations: Flight•Investigations: Sustainable energy sources•Medical physics

Wording: Nuclear physics and radioactivityUnit 1, Area of study 1

The dot point:• describe nuclear transformations and decay series

has become two dot points:

• explain nuclear transformations using decay equations involving α, β and γ radiation

• analyse decay series diagrams in terms of type of decay and stability of isotopes

Some dot points have been split into two to separate different

concepts!

Wording: ElectricityUnit 1, Area of study 2

The dot point:

• apply charge conservation and energy conservation models to electrical phenomena to describe relationships between charge (Q), electric current (I), voltage (V),energy (U) and power (P) in electric circuits

has become:

• apply the concepts of charge (Q), electric current (I), voltage (V),energy (U) and power (P) in electric circuits

Some dot points have been simplified…

… and formulae, variables and constants

have been italicised!

Wording: Motion in one and two dimensionsUnit 3, Area of study 1

The dot point:

• analyse impulse, and momentum transfer, in collisions between objects moving along a straight line

has become:

• analyse impulse (momentum transfer) in an isolated system, for collisions between objects moving along a straight line (FΔt = mΔv)

Formulae have been specified when quantitative analysis is

expected!

Wording: MotionUnit 2, Area of study 1

New dot points include:

• identify parameters of motion as vectors or scalars• apply rate of energy transfer, power, P = E/t• apply the concept of momentum, p = mv• analyse Hooke’s Law for an ideal spring, F = -kΔx• analyse impulse (momentum transfer) in an isolated

system, for elastic collisions between objects moving in a straight line

Concepts which were previously implicit in some dot

points have now become explicit!

Wording: Electronics and photonicsUnit 3, Area of study 2

The dot point:• describe the operation of the transistor in terms of current

gain and the effect of biasing the base-emitter voltage on the voltage characteristics, in terms of saturation, cut-off and linear operation, including linear gain (Δvout/ vin) and clipping, of a single stage npn transistor voltage amplifier

has been replaced by:• analyse voltage characteristics of amplifiers including linear

voltage gain (Δvout/ vin) and clipping

Some content has been removed, to reduce teacher

and student workload!

Wording: Wave-like properties of lightUnit 2, Area of study 2

The dot point:• apply a ray model to behaviours of light including

reflection, refraction and total internal reflection

has become:• investigate and analyse the behaviour of light using ray

diagrams including- reflection, i = r- refraction, Snell’s Law- total internal reflection, critical angle(any form of image location is not required)

Sometimes, dot points specify what is not

included!

Wording: PhotonicsUnit 4, Detailed study 3.2

The dot point previously from Unit 4, Area of study 2, ‘Interactions of light and matter:

• explain the production of incoherent light from wide spectrum light sources, including the Sun, light bulbs, and candles (descriptive), in terms of thermal motion of electrons

has moved to Unit 4, Detailed study 3.2, ‘Photonics’ and is re-worded as:

• describe the production of incoherent light from wide spectrum light sources, including the Sun, light bulbs, and candles, in terms of the random thermal motion of valence electrons when atoms collide

This is the only dot point which has shifted location!

Wording: Synchrotron and its applicationsUnit 4, Detailed study 3.1

The dot point:• describe basic synchrotron design including electron

linac, circular booster, storage ring, beamlines

has become:• describe the basic design of The Australian Synchrotron

including the general purpose of the electron linac (details about drift tubes and RF cavities are not required), circular booster, storage ring and beamlines

The dot points in this detailed study have specified The Australian

Synchrotron!

Summary of included/clarified dot points

Unit Area of study/ Detailed

study

Title Included/clarified detail

1 AoS 2 Electricity ‘potential difference’ used instead of ‘voltage’

3 AoS 1 Motion in one and two dimensions

-circular motion broadened-qualitative description of air resistance in projectile motion-apparent weight, apparent weightlessness, weightlessness

3 AoS 2 Electronics and photonics

-‘potential difference’ used instead of ‘voltage drop’-modulation and demodulation have been elaborated-thermistor included as circuit component

3 DS 3.3 Further electronics

the effect of circuit components on ripple voltage has been made more specific

4 DS 3.1 Synchrotron specific consideration of The Australian Synchrotron

4 DS 3.2 Photonics production of incoherent light (from Unit 4, AoS 2)

Summary of deleted dot points and/or concepts

Unit Area of study/ Detailed study

Title Removal detail

1&2 DS 3.4 Investigations: Flight computer modelling

3 AoS 1 Motion in one and two dimensions

absolute nature of time and space

3 AoS 2 Electronics and photonics

‘voltage drop’ has been replaced with ‘potential difference’

3 AoS 2 Electronics and photonics

transistor amplifier

4 AoS 2 Interactions of light and matter

‘production of incoherent light’ has been moved to the Photonics detailed study, Unit 4, DS3.2

Contact DetailsVictorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority(VCAA)Website: www.vcaa.vic.edu.au

Maria James, Curriculum Manager - SciencePh: (03) 9651 4655james.maria.m@edumail.vic.gov.au

Kris Allen, Examinations Project ManagerPh: (03) 9225 2356allen.kristin.m @edumail.vic.gov.au